Friday, March 20, 2015 Edition.

Ini Edo finally dumps ‘baby lover’

Messi has an ego

Orji fires ASOPADEC Director for allegedly raping girl to death pg. 12

pg. 14

– Thierry Henry

Daily Post

Vol. 1 Edition 2 Friday, March 20, 2015

pg. 15

inside

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Don’t be afraid of going to jail

– Aisha Buhari tells Patience Jonathan

page 3

Do not stay back at polling booths – IG warns Nigerians

pg. 4

Jonathan will rebuild North East – Mu’azu

pg. 3

Mark visits attacked Benue vows PDP plans to implicate community, perpetrators our leaders – APC • Allegation lacks substance - PDP will not go unpunished

Senate President, David Mark with one of the victims of Agatu-Fulani crisis in Egba Village, Agatu LGA of Benue State, yesterday. (Photo nan)

Scores killed as Boko Haram Attack Communities in Gamboru

pg. 6

pg. 3

pg. 4

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Buhari’s wife tells Patience Jonathan:

Don’t be afraid of going to jail

By Sylvester Ugwuanyi

W

ife of the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Hajia Aishat Buhari, may have replied the nation’s First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan who has been campaigning that Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd.) will jail his political opponents if elected President in the March 28 presidential election.

She yesterday counseled Patience Jonathan not to be afraid as Nigerians only want a change and a departure from how the country is presently being run.

Last Monday, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, had while addressing a rally of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, women’s wing in Ado Ekiti stated that she was not ready to feed her husband, President Goodluck Jonathan, in prison. Throwing a potshot at the APC, she asked, “What did they forget in Aso Rock? If you vote the PDP and Jonathan, it would be better for you. If you vote the APC, you will go to prison. How can you jail somebody for 300 years? I’m not ready to carry food to my husband inside prison oh!”

But speaking at an APC mega rally in Edo State where she interacted with women groups in the state, Hajia Buhari said, “For those that are campaigning, saying that he is coming to jail Nigerians, I don’t know what their fear is. But they shouldn’t be afraid, because we are all yearning for change.

While noting that the ruling party’s attempt to paint her husband black with the tar of religion was a desperate attempt to hoodwink Nigerians, she stressed that only those who were interested in looting the treasury would base their campaign on religion which is at variance with politics.

According to Mrs Buhari, “Each zone of the country has its peculiar problems. For me in this zone, girl-child trafficking should be considered one of our problems, though I know there is unemployment.

“Unemployment is the major factor that contributes to brain drain and also the girl-child trafficking. General Muhammadu Buhari is a leader who led Nigeria some decades ago and he is coming back now to sanitize the system.

“The insecurity in the country,

Aishat

the very poor healthcare system, lack of education and other basic necessities that people are lacking; I believe Nigerians need somebody like General Muhammadu Buhari now.

“Already, they have painted him black, using religion. I’m happy today that Nigerians realize that they use religion as a cover to loot Nigeria,” Mrs. Buhari stated.

While informing her audience that any politician who wants to use religion to get their votes is a liar that only wants to loot the treasury and the little resources they ought to enjoy, she charged them to say no to politicians who merge politics with religion to deceive the people.

She said further, “I’m here today to let Edo women know that when my husband is elected into office as President, all these will be history. The insecurity, the girl-child trafficking, suffering of the widows in the South East will come to an end.

“There must be a cultural design that can accommodate the widow.

A design that would make the girlchild comfortable wherever she is in this country. She doesn’t have to leave her country to go and prostitute elsewhere, it’s not her portion.

“Her portion is to have a highly standard and moral society for her to live in. Get married, have children, train them and also mould them to become the future leaders.

“We are here today to also let you know that the collection of your PVCs is important and don’t ever sell it. It’s like selling your future. If you sell it for N5,000, you won’t see N5,000 again until after four years which will be bad.

“Get your PVC, vote for APC, vote for freedom, vote for a new Nigeria with good security, good education, good healthcare, good roads and all the basic necessities,” Buhari’s wife stated.

While speaking at the event, Governor Adams Oshiomhole advised the women to vote for the APC since the PDP has failed in 16 years to deliver on electricity and other basic infrastructure.

He lamented that the PDP government swindles even the poor through the sale of kerosene.

According to him, “In sixteen years, PDP did not provide light, we provide the transformers to the communities but the PDP Federal Government cannot power the lights. They collect fixed charges from the people when there is no fixed light.

“They say there’s power reform, however instead of reform, they deform. They advertised to employ people into the Nigeria Immigration Service and use private company to charged the applicant N1,000 each.

“The private company collected over N800 million from poor youths and took them to the stadium to conduct an interview, at the end people died. Instead of the Minister in charge to be reprimanded, he was given national honours.

“You need to understand the issues. Our call for Change and for people to vote for the APC and vote out the PDP is because the PDP has completely failed and deceived the people for 16 years. So they must go home,” he asserted.

The Governor called on the people to vote for the APC if they want to return Nigeria from darkness to light, from unemployment to employment and from insecurity to security.

While lashing at some religious leaders who want to polarize the country along religious lines, he said the problems facing the country affect both Christians and Muslims, hence Nigerians should ignore any attempt to hoodwink them by those who play the religion card.

Earlier in an address, wife of the state Deputy Governor, Deaconess Endurance Odubu asserted that Nigerians have made up their minds to vote massively for the All Progressives Congress.

Applauding the achievements recorded by Governor Adams Oshiomhole in Edo State, she told women of the state that General Muhammadu Buhari will replicate same at the national level when voted into power.

She went on to assure Hajia Aishat Buhari that Edo women will vote massively for the APC in the forthcoming presidential election.

PDP foot soldiers want to implicate our leaders – APC • The allegation lacks substance – PDP

By Sylvester Ugwuanyi

T

he All Progressives Congress, APC, yesterday sounded the alarm that it has uncovered fresh plot by sympathizers of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to implicate the leadership of the opposition party.

APC alleged that the plot this time around is to import a huge sums of money (in the US currency) to be ferried into Nigeria by some people who will then claim they were hired as cash couriers by some APC leaders.

The party, which raised this allegation in a statement issued in Abuja by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said that the funds are to be ferried into the country through the Seme, Idi-Iroko, or any other border posts, “anytime from now.”

It alleged that those who are

to orchestrate the importation of the raw cash from a West African nation have also tipped off the security agents at the border posts to watch out for those who are bringing in a colossal amount in US dollars.

According to the statement, “Their plan is that once the couriers – who have been coached on their assignment – are arrested by Nigerian security agents, they will point accusing fingers at some top APC leaders who supposedly commissioned them to bring in the money to be used for the forthcoming elections.

“The plotters of the evil plan will then order the arrest of the leaders, with a view to damaging their credibility and destabilizing them ahead of the elections.”

The opposition party while maintaining that all evil plots being hatched by desperadoes who are bent on setting the country

ablaze just to realize their naked ambition will be exposed, stressed that this is as Nigerians within and outside the government have decided to be extra vigilant.

APC continued, “Let’s be clear: Our leaders, who have been the targets of unprecedented mudslinging as well as physical and psychological threats will not be intimidated into abandoning their epic struggle to save our country from a rapacious administration.

“Therefore, let those who have been unrelenting in threatening them and also painting them black, using every means imaginable, desist, because their game is up. The people of Nigeria have repudiated their primitive tactics.”

The party called on those who, in their usual manner, will rush to deny the plot to remember that despite their denials in the past, all the alarms raised by the party had either come to pass or had

been checkmated by their exposure.

Recalling that it had recently raised the alarm over several plots by the ruling party, most of which had come to pass, APC said, “We raised the alarm over their opposition to the use of card readers and now all Nigerians can see. “We raised the alarm that the OPC will demonstrate against Jega in Lagos and it was accurate to the day. We will continue to expose the plotters of evil”.

Meanwhile, the PDP immediately reacted by dismissing the allegations raised by its rival as lacking in substance. The party’s Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Abdullahi Jalo said, “The APC has taken its propaganda to a ridiculous level. We will not dignify them with a response because this allegation lacks substance.”

3

Jonathan will rebuild North East – Mu’azu

By Sylvester Ugwuanyi

F

ormer Bauchi governor and National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu, yesterday assured that President Goodluck Jonathan, will implement an already packaged marshal plan to rebuild the entire Northeast zone if voted in for a second term in office.

The PDP Chairman, who stated this in a press release issued on his behalf in Abuja, stressed that the idea to restore life fully to the already devastated zone would be the priority of the PDP in the next four years, if it gets re-elected.

Expressing happiness with the progress so far achieved by the armed forces and their international collaborators in the war against insurgency in the Northeast, Mu’azu said the current mop up operations to sweep the insurgents away from the troubled area had progressed beyond his party’s imagination.

According to him, “President Jonathan when re-elected for a second term will declare a Marshall Plan to rebuild the entire geopolitical zone affected by the war. Our party has this programme on the top of our agenda in the next four years.

“That will be the right way to wipe away the scars of war among the people of that area.

I remain hopeful that our party has not only taken the pole position in this tight two-horse race to win the 2015 presidential election, but will also go ahead to win the majority in the National Assembly and win many more states.”

Jega insists elections will not be postponed again

C

hairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof.

Attahiru Jega, has again assured that the 2015 general elections will hold on March 28 and April 11 as scheduled, stressing that there are no other justifications for another postponement of the polls.

The INEC Chairman, who disclosed this on Thursday at the national briefing of accredited observers for the 2015 general election in Abuja, said, “This election will hold as scheduled. Over 81 per cent of permanent voter card collection had been achieved”.

He noted that the commission was re-training its staff and ad hoc staff on the rudiments of elections, particularly as it pertain handling of the card reading machines, CRMs. Jega, who outlined the processes undertaken to ensure that the elections are successful, further disclosed that there would be a national stakeholders’ summit on the 2015 elections next Tuesday.

While stating that INEC had done wide consultations with stakeholders in an effort to strengthen the electoral process, he expressed appreciation to domestic and international election observers, urging to them to abide by guidelines for observing elections in the country.

“We respect Nigerians, we respect God, and we will do everything to ensure that the elections are successful,” Jega stated.

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Mark visits attacked Benue community, vows perpetrators will not go unpunished

S

enate President, Chief David Mark, has bemoaned the level of devastation and killings wrecked on the people of Egba community in Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State when armed men suspected to be Fulani herdsmen invaded the area.

Senator Mark, who was at the war-ravaged Egba on Thursday for an on-the-spot assessment of the damages done, expressed shock and sadness over the rate of ruination which he likened to genocide. He stressed that the action of the perpetrators was nothing but absolute criminality which must be addressed as such.

An angry Mark said, “This is absolute criminality. All those involved in these barbaric killings must not go unpunished.

Government will not tolerate this and all the security networks would be deployed to fish out the perpetrators.”

The Senate President, while consoling the heart-broken members of his constituents, informed them that the National Security Council has met over the incident and that President Goodluck Jonathan was already putting measures in place to investigate the remote and immediate causes of the killings, so as to find a lasting solution to it.

He consequently urged the people to continue to main-

Mark

tain peace, as government has enough apparatus to deal with the situation in a way that would bring justice to all concerned. This was as he pointed out that security has been beefed up to forestall a repeat of the ugly incident.

The National Assembly Chairman, while appreciating the emergency medical team led by Oyaji Suleiman for assisting the injured, promised to pay their medical bills.

It was a sorry sight when Senator Mark visited the make-

shift tent housing some injured survivors of the attack as well as internally displaced persons, IDPs. He also made it to the site where the murdered persons were said to have been given a mass burial.

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, deputy governorship candidate in the state, Mr. John Ngbede, who hails from the affected community pleaded with the Federal Government to police the boundary between his people and their Nasarawa State neighbours.

This was as he lamented that the porous nature of the boundary between Agatu and Nasarawa State has given the invaders unhindered access to attack the people and easily find escape route.

“If there is anything the Federal government can do for us at this critical time, it is to help us police and protect our boundary with Nasarawa state,” he stressed.

DAILY POST recalls that no fewer than 80 persons were murdered in cold blood when assailants believed to be Fulani herdsmen invaded Egba community in Agatu LGA of Benue State in the wee hours of last Sunday, unleashing mayhem on their victims.

The invaders were reported to have retreated to a neighbouring Nasarawa State, across the River Benue after the attack.

Thugs attack lawyers marching for Buhari in Ondo

By Abiodun Badejo

T

hugs armed with guns, cutlasses and stones today invaded the gathering of lawyers campaigning for Buhari and Osinbajo in Akure, the Ondo State Capital.

The lawyers, numbering 300, under the aegis of lawyers for Change fixed a street to street campaign for Akure today.

No sooner the lawyers converged for the street Campaign in front of the High Court, Akure that some armed thugs attacked them and dispersed the campaign procession.

In the process, both lawyers and journalists scampered for safety.

Condemning the development, the Secretary of Media campaign of APC, Bar. Charles Titiloye indicted security agents in the state for refusing to protect the lawyers who informed them of the street campaign more than a week ago.

According to him, “Police, Nigerian civil defence Corps, DSS and Road safety were all informed about the rally, but they refused to turn up until the thugs attacked the lawyers.

“Our democracy is under threat if lawyers cannot openly associate and express themselves or have a say during elections.

Do not stay back at polling booths to protect your votes – IG warns Nigerians

T

he Inspector General of Police Suleiman Abba, on Thursday urged Nigerians to go home and not stay back to protect their votes at the polling booths come April 11.

Abba disclosed this during a briefing organised by INEC with accredited observers for the 2015 general election. He said enough police officers will be deployed around polling booths across the country to protect the votes of Nigerian.

He said, “Two to three police officers will be attached to each polling unit, and we would provide more officers for the collation centres and for the managers of the elections” “We will go on to protect the electorate. Every eligible voter should feel safe enough to cast his votes.

We will be there to protect the votes and make sure no one disrupts the process.”

The Police boss urged electorates to go back home after performing their civic duty and not to hang around the polling booth.

Abba said, “Cast your votes and go and cool down. If you remain there, there is likelihood that you will commit an offence.

“Asking voters to wait and protect their votes implies taking the law into their own hands. That is unacceptable.”

He also called on political parties to respect the electoral act, which states that only one agent is allowed in a polling unit.

Abba further urged those vying for electoral position to either accept the results when announced or seek redress at the judicial court of law.

He warned that violence and thuggery would not be condoned during or after the elections, adding that the police force will ensure it apprehends and prosecute perpetrators.

Friday, March 20, 2015

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Prosecute me if I have stolen Lagos money – Tinubu dares FG

By Wale Odunsi

T

he national leader of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has challenged the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led federal government to charge him to court over its allegation that he embez-

zled the state’s resources.

Tinubu spoke at the 14th Town Hall meeting of Lagos central senatorial district tagged: “Treading the Path to Prosperity,” organised by Senator Oluremi Tinubu on Wednesday.

On accusations of corruption against him, he said: “This is

eight years I left Alausa as governor, they should go to court and prosecute me if I have embezzled the state’s fund.

“They said I acquired Lagos funds, this is my stomach, still flat. Afterall, I did not tell the electorates that I did not have shoe before I was voted in the office,” he said.

Tinubu called on Nigerians to vote out the PDP, lamenting that Nigeria had witnessed many disasters owing to its incapability over the years.

He urged the people to get their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) ready as it remained the only tool to effect change.

I’ll be a failure if Imo indigenes don’t get free, qualitative education – Ihedioha T he Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP), governorship candidate in Imo State, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, has promised to govern Imo with broad mind and use the State’s resources equitably, if elected.

Ihedioha made the promise while addressing members of the Imo State branch of Federal establishments in Owerri on Wednesday.

Ihedioha, who is also the Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, said only a law abiding, broad minded person with intellectual capacity could govern the state.

Ihedioha added that he had garnered adequate experience, more than any other contestant, to emerge the next governor of Imo. He said as a federal lawmaker, he had attracted a number of proj-

ects; including Oguta Jetty, worth over N500million, and some educational institutions in the state.

The institutions, he added are; the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Federal Polytechnic, Nekede, Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education and FMC, Owerri.

He added that he donated electricity transformers, constructed school laboratory, employed scores of Imo indigenes, empowered women and youths and contributed to the passage of a number of Bills.

The candidate said that the bills he participated in passing impacted positively on the lives of the people in the state.

He said that the way the state was being managed, especially in

the provision of education, electricity and execution of contracts, showed that it required a paradigm shift to survive.

Ihedioha said 23 experts assisted him to collate data on the way and manner the state was being governed, adding that the findings showed ``very worrisome negative trend in the administration of Imo. “It is very regrettable that 27 companies in Ideato South Local Government are all comatose because of lack of electricity.

“I will consider myself part of a failed generation if as Imo governor; I fail to bequeath the upcoming sons and daughters of Imo free and qualitative education’’, he said.

Ihedioha blamed the woes of the state on massive fraud and disobe-

dience to the rule of law.

He appealed for support for himself and President Goodluck Jonathan, adding that a lot was in the pipeline to re-launch Imo on the path of progress.

Responding on behalf of the federal workers, Mr Vitus Ekeocha, Director, said Ihedioha was the first to recognise the relevance of federal workers by factoring them in his campaign visit.

Ekeocha, who is also the state Director of the National Orientation Agency, advised workers to ensure that they collected their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).

He said doing so would enable them to participate fully during the general elections.

Conduct of credible polls is non-negotiable

– UN tells Nigeria

T

he United Nations Secretary-General, Mr Ban Ki-Moon, has called on Nigerian political leaders to support the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct free, fair and credible general elections.

He made the call through the Under-Secretary of United Nations Political Department, Mr Jeffrey Feltman, during a courtesy call on the PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Mu`azu in Abuja on Wednesday.

Ban, who stressed the importance of Nigeria to the UN family, said the credible conduct of the elections would positively impact on the rating of the country.

“I came to Nigeria to join UN Special Representative to West Africa, Ibn Chambas, to talk with Nigerians over the country’s important role in United Nations and Nigeria’s forthcoming elections.

“We want to also determine the challenges Nigeria is having and along with support from its neighbours to contain the Boko Haram’’, he said.

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The Week in Review On FRIDAY,

President Goodluck Jonathan handed N5 million as well as employment letters into the Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, to each of the 15 families that lost a loved one in the tragic immigration recruitment exercise about a year ago, promising that the tragic incident would never reoccur. This happened on the same day that the Defence Headquarters announced that an ongoing cordon and search by troops in Buni Yadi Yobe State has led to the discovery of a bomb making factory, where improvised explosive devices, IEDs, used by terrorists were being manufactured.

On SATURDAY,

Friday, March 20, 2015

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the immediate past governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, disclosed that his party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, has strong evidence against President Goodluck Jonathan over his alleged plot to foist an Interim Government on the country. Speaking at the 40-day Fidau for the late Pa Jejelola Akingbolu and Mrs. Raliat Akingbolu, Fayemi said, “I have evidence that he (Tinubu) was invited to be part of the Interim Government as a way of dividing us (in APC). This was also the

day that a suspected stowaway who reportedly died in the undercarriage compartment of an Arik Air airbus A345 was discovered by men of the Airport Police Command at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

SUNDAY

was bloody for inhabitants of Egba community in Agatu LGA of Benue State as hundreds of suspected Fulani herdsmen raided their village and killed no fewer than 82 persons, injuring several others who were still asleep when the attackers came around 4 am. The marauders razed houses and destroyed economic trees, food barns and farmlands. Benue State Police Commissioner, Mr. Hyacinth Dagala, while confirming the attack, noted that 30 bodies have been recovered from the scene. Sunday was as also the day President Goodluck Jonathan claimed the emergence of the All Progressives Congress, APC, was as a result of the deliberate policy of his administration to entrench Nigeria’s democracy by creating a formidable opposition in the country.

On MONDAY,

outspoken Catholic priest based in Enugu, Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka alleged that President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife, Patience, are after his life. He categorically told his bewildered followers in a video that “President Jonathan and his wife, Patience, are planning to assassinate Father Mbaka. It is a known secret, so whoever they want to use, I don’t know. They may not come themselves. They may use these unemployed people. The same people I am speaking for.” Also on this day, Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Kenneth Minimah, asserted that the Nigerian Army will never again be humiliated in the battle against insurgency in the north-eastern part of the country.

The Army Chief, who spoke at the

Chief of Army Staff’s First Quarters Conference in Abuja, noted that the challenges faced by the Nigerian Army revealed the resilience and perseverance of the Nigerian people.

On TUESDAY,

running mate to Muhammadu Buhari in the 2011 presidential election, Pastor Tunde Bakare, said that while he trusts the APC presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd.), he cannot say the same thing about “his environment”. Bakare who told Christians at the annual Lenten lecture of the Island Club in Lagos that he believes “in contact without contamination,” posited, “Yes I trust Buhari and this is because I have worked closely with him but I doubt his environment.

The Peoples Democratic Party and the All Progressives Congress; which one is really clean? Only God can give us true leaders.” Still on this day, the Federal Government announced the reduction of electricity tariff by 50 per cent. Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, Sam Amadi, while announcing this, blamed distribution companies for forcing energy consumers to pay for electricity they did not use.

On WEDNESDAY,

United States Vice President, Mr. Joe Biden, had telephone conversations with President Goodluck Jonathan and Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd.) where he expressed his country’s support to Nigeria in making the rescheduled 2015 general elections credible and peaceful. The US Diplomatic Mission to Nigeria, which made this known in a press statement issued in Abuja, said Mr. Biden expressed the support of Washington for the use of card readers in the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. Meanwhile the commission on the same day asserted that

it has done everything to protect the card readers to be used in the forthcoming elections from being hacked or jammed on elections day. It said the clarification became necessary following speculations by some people that there were plans to jam or hack INEC’s server and card readers. The INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega noted that adequate measures have been taken by the commission to ensure that the card readers do not fail, stressing that no card reader failed in the mock test that was conducted.

On THURSDAY,

Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Attahiru Jega, declared that the 2015 elections will hold on March 28 and April 11 as rescheduled as there was no reason why the elections should be postponed. The Chairman, who made this known at the national briefing of accredited observers for the 2015 general elections said, “This election will hold as scheduled” adding that “over 81 percent of permanent voter card collection had been achieved”. Also on the same day, Wife of the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Hajia Aishat Buhari, replied the nation’s First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, who has been campaigning that Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd.) will jail his political opponents if elected President in the March 28 presidential election. She counseled Patience Jonathan not to fear as Nigerians only want a change in the way the country is presently being run. Speaking at an APC mega rally in Edo State where she interacted with women groups in the state, Mrs. Buhari said, “For those that are campaigning, saying that he (Buhari) is coming to jail Nigerians, I don’t know what their fear is. But they shouldn’t be afraid, because we are all yearning for change.”

Accept temporary cards for elections – Chime begs INEC

G

ov. Sullivan Chime of Enugu State has appealed to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to consider the use of the temporary voters’ cards in the forthcoming elections.

Speaking at a PDP stakeholders meeting in Enugu, Chime said the use of the permanent voters’ cards would disenfranchise many people.

He said that such a situation was totally unacceptable and unlawful to the citizens of the state.

The governor observed that some local government areas in the state had yet to receive the cards.

The governor, who said the meeting was called to strategise for the party’s ``total victory’’ in the state, called on its candidates to play by the electoral rules.

He said the state was working with security agencies to ensure hitch free elections.

Chime announced that the party had appointed trusted delegates who would work as its agents during the elections.

He called on the delegates to desist from any influence or manipulations by other political parties.

“All is well with our party in this state and we will not allow any political party to overtake us.

“I will advise anyone who wants to truncate this election in the state through violence to try elsewhere because the security agents will be ready to fight them,’’ the governor said.

In his remarks, the Chairman of the PDP in the state, Chief Ikeje Asogwa, assured the people that it would emerge victorious at all levels of the elections.

Asogwa appealed to the members as well as the people to come out en masse and vote for the candidates of the party.

Some of the stakeholders who spoke to journalists expressed satisfaction with the outcome of

the meeting.

The Chairman of Awgu Local Government Area, Mr Nnanna Nze, described the meeting as a welcome development.

He promised to work with all the party’s stakeholders in the area to deliver every ward and community.

On his part, the Commissioner for Chieftaincy Matters, Pastor Emeka Abugu, commended the governor for the meeting.

“The governor’s antecedents are speaking for him and we are expecting nothing other than victory for the PDP in Enugu State,’’ he said.

FAAC: FG, States, LGs share N522bn for February

T

he Minister of State for Finance, Mr Bashir Yuguda, said on Wednesday that N522 billion was shared among the federal, states and local governments as revenue for February, 2015.

Yuguda announced this in Abuja when he addressed newsmen on the outcome of the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) meeting.

He said that the shared amount comprised the month’s statutory revenue of N401.4 billion and N6.3 billion refunded by Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

“Also, there is the exchange gain of N55.9 billion which is proposed for distribution.

“Therefore the total revenue distributable for the month of February, including VAT of N58.2 billion, is N522 billion.’’

Yuguda said that an additional exchange rate of N45.7 billion for February was received and distributed.

Giving the breakdown of revenue among the three tiers of government, Yuguda said the Federal Government received N186.6 billion, representing 52.68 per cent; states, N94.6 billion, representing 26.72 per cent.

The local governments, he said, received N72.9 billion, amounting to 20.60 per cent of the amount distributed.

He announced that N39.5 billion, representing 13 per cent derivation

revenue was shared among the oil producing states.

On VAT, he said that the gross revenue collected for the month decreased by N5.7 billion from the N63.9 billion recorded in January.

Yuguda said N306.9 billion was generated as mineral revenue in February as against the N305.3 billion generated in the preceding month.

According to him, this shows an increase of N1.5 billion between the two months.

He said also, that the non-mineral revenue for February was N94.5 billion, which when compared to the N110.6 billion generated in January, showed a decrease of N16.1 billion.

Yuguda lamented over the low

revenue generation for the month, while explaining certain reasons for it.

“There was loss of about 24.48 million dollars in revenue due to further drop in crude oil prices from 52.3 dollars in December 2014 to 48.6 dollars in January.

“The persistent shutdown and shut-in of trucks and pipe lines at various terminals continued to impact negatively in the revenue performance.

“None oil revenues dipped further in February 2015 relative to the previous month,” he said.

He also added that the N35.5 billion which had become a monthly amount being distributed under the SURE-P Programme was no more because of the fall in oil prices.

Scores killed as Boko Haram Attack Communities in Gamboru

By James Bwala

H

undreds of suspected Boko Haram insurgents reportedly invaded Fuyi, Fatakol and other communities around Cameroon border including Kala Balge and Gamboru Ngala Local Government Areas of Borno state, leaving dozens of people dead.

An eyewitness told DAILY POST correspondent that several houses were destroyed after property including livestock were looted by the insurgents.

Kala Balge and Gamboru Ngala are located Southeast of Maiduguri, the state capital, and have remained under the control of the insurgents until recently when Chadian troops dislodged them from their hideouts.

Sources however said that after reclaiming some of the communities, troops advanced towards Dikwa town and continued their mission with none of Nigerian troops stationed in the captured communities of Gamboru Ngala.

The incident according to a reliable source occurred at about 7am on Thursday when the insurgents in a coordinated attacks on the communities slaughtered over 13 people in Fuyi village near Gamboru Ngala.

Sources revealed that the insurgents in their number were armed with AK47 rifles, Anti Aircraft guns and pulled through on some Hilux vehicles, with a huge amount of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) before Cameroonian troops responded gallantly.

As at the time this report was filed, the Cameroonian troops were busy repelling the attacks on the affected communities.

Friday, March 20, 2015

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dailypost.ng

business GTBank gets $175m loan from IFC

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he International Finance Corporation (IFC) has lent $175 million to Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank) to expand its lending portfolio in Africa’s biggest economy, the private arm of the World Bank said on Tuesday.

The IFC said the financing comprises $100 million for IFC’s own account and $75 million through an IFC managed co-lending portfolio.

GTBank is a top tier commercial lender with 233 branches in Nigeria.

In its 2014 full year results, GTBank grew its gross earnings by 14.8 per cent to N278.5 billion, from N242.7 billion recorded in 2013.

Interest income rose by 8.2 per cent from N185.4 billion to N201 billion, while interest expenses rose by 20 per cent from N48.4 billion to N58.2 billion. However, credit impairment charges soared by 146 per cent from N2.9 billion to N7.1 billion. Similarly, operating expenses increased by 14.9 per cent to N95.7 billion, from N82.4 billion in 2013.

Commenting on results released last week, the Managing Director/CEO of GTBank, Mr. Segun Agbaje, said the financial performance attested to the inherent soundness of its strategy and resilience of its earnings.

External reserves drop further by $184m

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igeria’s external reserves has again suffered a sharp decline as the latest information from the Central Bank of Nigeria’s, CBN, website indicated that the reserves have fallen by $184million in the last five days to $30.155billion compared with $30.340billion recorded on March 13th.

The decline in the country’s external reserve has been fueled by steady fall in international oil prices and a shortfall in domestic crude production.

The situation has impacted negatively impacted on the finances of the nation as derives 70 per cent of its revenue and over 90 per cent of its foreign exchange from crude oil exports. This has forced the Central Bank has also been using the reserves to support the naira, which has come under increased pressure since the presidential election was postponed from February 14th to March 28th.

To meet surging demand for foreign exchange, the CBN has in recent times increased foreign exchange sales per auction session to $500 million from $300 million. But as it continued to struggle to meet forex demand, the regulator last month closed the Retail Dutch Auction System (RDAS) forex window and channeled all demands to the interbank market.

The move led to a depreciation of the naira at the official market from N168/$ to N198.

An organization, no matter how well designed, is only as good as the people who live and work in it. - Dee Hock

NCC to sanction operators for unsolicited SMS, voice calls

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he Nigerian Communication Commission has warned telecommunication operators in the country to stop the practice of sending unsolicited short message service, SMS and voice calls to subscribers or face sanction.

The warning was given the telecoms regulator because it is worried by the increasing rate at which telecoms operators and value added service providers are broadcasting unsolicited SMS and voice calls.

The Director, Consumer Affairs of NCC, Mrs. Maryam Bayi, who issued the warning at an interactive session with journalists in Lagos recently, said the Commission has been inundated with complaints from subscribers who are disturbed by frequent SMS and voice calls they receive on a daily basis. She said the NCC is considering regulating such SMS and voice calls, with the intention to sanction those behind it.

According to her, subscribers mistake the unsolicited SMS and voice calls for real business calls, especially when they are expecting important SMS and voice calls from either their business partners, their superior officers, friends or relations, only to discover that the call or SMS originated from telecoms operators and value added service providers, who use such means for their tele-marketing, explaining that if there are regulations, there will be some form of restrictions on the part of the operators, in broadcasting such messages.

Speaking at the interactive session, the Director, Public Affairs of NCC, Mr. Tony Ojobo, who dis-

Delegates at the 15th Nigeria Oil and Gas Conference in Abuja, yesterday. closed that he shares the pains of subscribers over unsolicited messages and voice calls, called on subscribers to challenge the operators by calling them to stop such broadcast, each time they received unsolicited text messages and voice calls.

Although telecoms operators have defended themselves at different telecoms fora, insisting that the unsolicited SMS and voice calls do not emanate directly from them, but from value added service pro-

viders that have been licensed by the NCC to do SMS broadcast.

In spite of the denial, the unsolicited SMS and voice calls still circulate to millions of subscribers on a daily basis and subscribers are highly irritated by it.

Other issues discussed at the interactive forum, were centered around the 2.6GHz spectrum, and the delay in the rollout of 2.3GHz spectrum licence, which the NCC sold to Bitflux in February 2014.

Fielding questions from journalists in these areas, the Director, Spectrum Administration and Control of NCC, Mr. Austin Nwalune said the Commission is making fresh plans to license the 2.6GHz spectrum band, and promised that NCC will revisit the guidelines for the rollout of 2.3GHz spectrum and carryout the necessary enforcement that will compel Bitflux to rollout service on the 2.3GHz spectrum, which it won last year.

Shell vows no project will be abandoned in Nigeria

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he Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, says it is determined to complete its projects in Nigeria without fear of abandonment in spite of challenges in its operations.

The Managing Director, SPDC and Country Chair, Shell Companies in Nigeria, Mr Osagie Okunbor, said this at a panel session of oil majors at the 15th Nigeria Oil and Gas Forum in Abuja.

The company had in January announced that it would cut global investment spending by 15 billion dollars over the next three years following the collapse in oil prices, causing fears about its projects in Nigeria.

Okunbor, however, said the company was committed to long term projects in Nigeria with improved fiscal terms and better security.

He said the company was keen to see its projects in Nigeria completed in spite of the twin challenges of oil price decline and the very tough fiscal conditions it faced in Nigeria.

Other oil majors at the session expressed their companies’ commitment to community social responsibilities in their areas of operation.

Others in the session were the Managing Director, Exxon-

Mobil Upstream Nigeria, Nolan O’Neal; Managing Director, Total Upstream Nigeria, Mrs Elizabeth Proust; Senior Vice President and Managing Director, Addax Petroleum Nigeria, Mr Cornelis Zegelaar.

Earlier, the Vice President, Nigeria and Shell Upstream International, Mr Markus Droll, said the company’s projects

were intact.

He said the current divest-

ment was primarily aimed at refocusing its portfolio in Nigeria.

Droll said taking a Final Investment Decision (FID) on the world-class Bonga South West Aparo project was one of the deep

water investment projects it was currently working on.

“There are ongoing drilling

projects on the Bonga Floating Production and Storage Offload (FPSO) such as the Bonga North West tie back which produced first oil in August 2014 ahead of plan and below the agreed budget.

“These projects are intended to generate returns for the nation and all stakeholders,” he said.

Homebuilders rue non-execution of new Lagos land charges

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takeholders in the built environment have accused the Lagos State government of not implementing its new land charges.

The Lagos State government had announced a major reduction in cost of land transactions through an executive order signed on January 5, 2015, by Governor Babatunde Fashola, which was hailed by home builders, estate developers and other practitioners. But instead of applying the new land charge, government has stuck to the old rates.

In signing the executive order, Fashola had said that he took the decisive step, “in order to ensure that land transactions are carried out with minimal difficulty, especially with difficulties relating to payment of taxes, rates and legitimate levies charged under the enabling law.”

The Executive Order, (No. EO/BRF/001 of 2015), provides, among others: “Unless otherwise indicated, the valuation of landed property for the determination of tax and other charges payable shall be by reference to the statement of fair market value produced by relevant professionals, adopted by the state government and published from time to time in the Official Government Gazette.”

The Order, which takes immediate effect, reduces consent fees from six per cent to 1.5 percent while Capital Gains tax, which was previously two per cent, was reduced to 0.5 per cent. Also, cost of stamp duty was reduced from two per cent to 0.5 per cent, while registration fees were slashed from three per cent to 0.5 per cent.

However, estate surveyors and

valuers in the state has accused the agency in charge of still collecting old charges, insisting that nothing has changed since the signing of the executive order.

Chairman of Estate Surveyors and Valuers Registration Board of Nigeria (ESVARBON), Mr. Williams Odudu, in an interview with New Telegraph, said nobody has enjoyed the implementation of the land charges’ reduction since it was announced by the state government.

According to Odudu, the state government would have immediately implemented the order if it were for a major increase in charges payable to the government.

He said: “I do not know if it is a political gimmick because we have not felt the implementation of the announcement yet.

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Friday, March 20, 2015

dailypost.ng

interview

God will rescue Nigerians from arrogant and greedy politicians – Bishop Gbonigi A retired Bishop of the Anglican Communion and a member of the Southern Nigeria Peoples Assembly, SNPA, Bishop Emmanuel Bolanle Gbonigi has advised Nigerians to examine the two leading presidential candidates critically before casting their votes in next week’s election.

The fiery ‘NADECO’ Bishop, as he was fondly called during the military regime, in this interview with DAILY POST’s Abiodun Badejo, expressed sadness over the ongoing overbearing attitudes of politicians whom he said have betrayed the mandate of the people who voted them into various offices. He also advised the government on the nation’s economy and the fight against insurgency. He took DAILY POST on a panoramic journey on how he grew up, his call to the Lord’s vineyard and other sundry issues.

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ow was your growing up like?

I cannot answer your question without touching on my parentage. My father was a pagan, an idol worshiper but he was converted to Christianity when he was a young man and went into Christianity with almost the same zeal with which he was worshiping idols. He was very zealous and ready to suffer and even ready to die because of Christ. My mother’s background was not too different from that too. So, both of them were very committed, and as dedicated Christians, they were very zealous for Christ. That was the kind of home I was born. I had four sisters. My father was very strict.

I happened to be the only boy in

my family. You know how our people regard only male child. He handled me with iron hands in order to bring me up well and to become a self-disciplined person.

Because he was a self-disciplined person, he brought me up in a similar way. He made me to be businesslike, to be dutiful and I had thought he was a wicked person for not allowing me to play with my friends.

But I am now thanking God for the way he brought me up. I was brought up by a father who was a committed to the service of God, a dedicated Christian who served as a catechist.

Why did you choose this calling and how did you become a clergy?

Actually, when I was a young

man, I wanted to become a teacher.

In those days when you passed standard six, you wiould be given automatic employment as a teacher. So, I liked teaching and I wanted to be a teacher. When I passed standard six in 1946, I was given teaching appointment.

I became a teacher as from January 1947 and I was trying to go to Teachers Training College, but they were very few in the Southwest then. We had St. Andrew College, Oyo later St. John Mary’s college Owo, and later St. Pauls College Abeokuta for the Anglicans. I tried.

Each time I took entrance, I passed but father had no money, so, I could not go. Later, I took entrance examination to Owo when they opened St

Gbonigi John Mary.

Again I was admitted but there was no money. But it came to a particular year that if that time, nobody was able to assist me; then I will stop teaching and go back to the farm because I loved farming. So teaching and farming were the two professions that I liked. That year, I was transferred from where I was

teaching in Ajowa to Arigidi near Ikare and I was asked to go there to assist the clergy man who was the secretary to the Akoko district church council. I wanted to refuse because I said I didn’t want to work in church as a church worker.

I wanted to be a teacher in the school, but my father had died two months earlier and my mother appealed to me not to refuse. She said you are not the only teacher in the whole of Akoko. They might have seen something special in you that made them to choose you to go and assist that pastor.

I couldn’t say no to my mother verbally, but inside me, I was saying no to her. So I decided to walk out of the house and I was just roaming about when somebody saw me and went to tell my mother that he saw me outside and my mother looked for me and brought me back home and took me to meet my catechist.

He was the one that told me to go to Arigidi to assist Revd Aderemi. He said that was the decision of all the church workers in Akoko.

There were just two clergymen in Akoko at that time; late Aderemi and late Deacon Kolade the father of Christopher Kolade in Ikare. He said we discovered you have a gift for church work and we want you to go along that line. He appealed to me and of cause I had to be obedient. So I had no option and I went to Arigidi and the day I was going, I didn’t take

Continued on page 9

Friday, March 20, 2015

dailypost.ng

“God will rescue Nigerians from arrogant and greedy politicians” Continued from page 8 anything with me to the place.

When I got to the place, the late Aderemi knew that I didn’t want to come and he gave me an assignment and one of the assignments is that I should go and learn typing. He said that I would help him type letters. In short, that was how I entered church work and after one year of assisting him doing all manner of work, I was allowed to take entrance exam to Seminary in Ibadan where they used to train catechists and clergymen and I was admitted. I had to borrow money from the church and that was how I got in.

You were one of those who advocated for democracy. Now we have democracy. What informed your decision to campaign for the return of democracy then?

One thing that informed my decision then was the word of God; you know democracy and justice are together. You cannot separate Justice from democracy. God has different attributes; God is love, just, he is righteous, he is merciful and so on.

Justice is one of the most important attributes of God and God is just and he is God of justice. God commands that human beings should be just and in a way relate with one another justly. God hates injustice.

Democracy means that power belongs to the people and the common people now choose one person to be their representative either as a Counselor in the local government or as a representative in the House of Assembly in the state and House of Representatives for the whole nation or the senate.

Politicians are meant to represent the people; they ought to see themselves as representatives of the people. They ought to see themselves as the people who took the power that belong to the people. They hold the power in trust for the people. They should use the power to provide basic necessities for all of us. They should see themselves like that and use what people commit to their care carefully and faithfully. They should make sure that everybody has his or her own share in the common property.

Considering what has happening since the enthronement of democracy, do you have any regrets, especially the way things are being done?

I have no regrets, I only have sorrow. There cannot be no regrets when you are helped by the Holy Spirit to do God’s will by working for democracy. Working to see that democracy was properly entrenched in this country was doing God’s work and there cannot be regrets about that. During the time of General Abacha when they wanted to kill me, and some members came to me and begged me to stop writing and talking. I said, you don’t have to make your appeal to me, make your appeal to God. Tell God not to send me any errand because as long as He sends me, I must go. I cannot disobey God. If he says I should go and tell people this, I will go. If he says this is what I want you to write in your sermon and tell people, that is what I will write. I just have to deliver God’s message, so if you want me not to deliver Gods message, tell God not to give me any message. They knew what I was saying. They knew I was ready for even death. They asked why I had no security and I said people know me.

If they want to kill me, they can come into my house to kill me. Even when I am in my car or walking, they can see me and kill me. I told them Mrs Ghandi was killed by her bodyguard. I said it is God’s security and protection that is sure, not man.

As long as God has work for me, he will not allow them to kill me. But if I have finished doing his work and He wants me to come back to Him, he will allow them to kill me. I was not killed. One thing about that time was that I was never afraid.

I didn’t realize this until later.

When the Police and the SSS sent for me, I was only concerned about my wife. I will call her and counseled her that all will be well. Justice belongs to God and all Christians must fight for justice. And those of us who are called to lead the church must be seen as fighting for justice because justice is the will of God. You said you have sorrow, what brought about that?

I have sorrow because after all the selfless fight for the enthronement of democracy, majority of politicians have become selfish. They have been so greedy, greedy for position and possession. They are greedy for money and wealth to the extent that they even kill one another; sending hired assassins to go and kill fellow politicians because of money, and not because they truly want to serve the people.

The purpose of going into politics is to go and serve the people but majority of politicians in Nigeria go to politics to make money and to enrich themselves.

They go there to drain the people and serve themselves. Instead of using the money for the development of the country, they put everything into their pocket, they take part of the money to their bank abroad and the people suffer, and the suffering becomes much that people are dying. Those that ought not to have died are dying, dying of hunger and so on. That gives me sorrow.

Another election is around the corner. Do you think Nigeria will survive after this year’s election?

By the grace of God, Nigeria will survive. Some politicians came to see one politician in Akure and he thought that they should see me, but I was sleeping. Later, he called me and we were talking and he told

Gbonigi me the reason he brought them to me and that they would come back to see me.

When we were talking, he said we are praying that God should still spare your life so that you can continue this crusade; crusade for justice and peace in Nigeria. And among other things, he said that we are now preparing for election but some people are preparing for election as if they are preparing for war.

In the statement, he said, ‘’some of us politician are preparing for this election as if we are preparing for war’’; that is a pity and that is why I have sorrow, because that shouldn’t be the case if all of them are going there to serve the people. We are now hearing that some people from the north under the leadership of Arewa Consultative Forum are threatening that if anybody votes for Dr. Goodluck Jonathan in the north, they will kill him and burn down his house; why should that be? That is not democracy. Democracy is the freedom given to everybody to exercise his or her right and that is worldwide. By the grace of God Nigeria will survive.

God is the creator of the world, not human beings. Nigeria is part of the world created by God. Therefore, I am sure that God is the creator of Nigeria. God is our owner not these politicians who are treating us the

interview way they like. They are not our owner, God is our owner. God has been so patient, giving them time to repent, but when God now realizes that these people are not going to repent, they are going to continue to be unjust with the power given to them in trust by the people, leading to the suffering of the people, God will rise up and intervene and deliver his people from these selfish, greedy, wicked, arrogant and heartless politicians.

Many of them are heartless and they have no mercy because if they do, they will not be seeing the people they call their own suffering like this in poverty and they continue to live and behave like this.

It is heartless for anybody in this country to be in politics and in a house where they are going to discuss Nigeria and be taking home more than N20 million per month in this kind of economy when we have millions upon millions able young graduates who are ready to work but have no job to do.

They take care of their own children and send them abroad but they only employ those at home in Nigeria as thug. God will not allow such sins to continue and I’m now convinced that time has now come that God will rise up and say enough is enough; you have exploited my people more than enough and you make many of them to die when they ought not to die. God is going to rescue his people from these proud, arrogant, selfish and greedy politicians. You are going to see it. How he is going to do it, I don’t know, but he is going to do it.

We have two major leading candidates vying for the presidential election, if you were to vote, whom do you think Nigeria deserves this time around?

Democracy dictates that I should not say that. I should not announce to the whole world that I will vote for a particular candidates because if I answer your question directly, I have announced to the world the candidate I am going to vote for and people will say Bishop Gbonigi will vote so and so because he has said it to the press and it has been published. I shouldn’t do that.

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Again, as a leader of the church, my calling dictates that I should not do that, because members of my church belong to different political parties, so I should not be partial.

I am the shepherd of all of them; I should not belong to any political party. If I now belong to any political party, I am committing a sin.

So I cannot say that if I should vote today, I will vote for so and so.

What are those qualities Nigerians should look out for in the people they want to vote for?

Our people should look at the politicians that are asking for their vote and ask some basic questions.

The first is to know whether such person is in politics to serve the people and not to get things for himself or herself. They always promise heaven and earth while seeking for votes. They should see that judging by this person’s antecedents and life and the way he has been doing politics. Is he out to serve to cater for the needs of the people and not to go there to steal? That’s the first thing to look out for. And there are other moral qualifications, humility, care and love. Does he care about what is happening to other people? Does he love and demonstrate his love to the people by helping them and so on?

There is Boko-Haram in the North, kidnapping in the Southeast and other violent crimes.

What do you think government should do to stop these menace?

What they should do first is to make sure that they themselves are neutral and make sure they are not involved. Because we are hearing as a rumour that some of them know about Boko Haram and some of them are financing them secretly. They should not get involved because if they are involved, the people that are doing this horrible thing will not stop it. They should be completely neutral; it’s only then, they can stop it. And at the same time, they can encourage the the Army, Air force, Police and the rest of them so that they can comfortably confront those who have made killing and terror their profession. They should equip them was well.

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Friday, March 20, 2015

dailypost.ng

interview

We are changing how Africans trade with cokodeal.com – Mike Dola contents. More importantly, we will concentrate on how to increase our advertisement reach, especially to the west for them to connect with African traders, thereby making Africa the trade hub.

Mike Dola is the Chief Executive officer of Cokodeal. In this interview with Martins Lowen, he speaks on how trade in Africa can be improved through e-commerce and the limitless potentials of the continent.

W

hat does your company (Cokodeal) specialize in?

Cokodeal.com is Africa’s largest local content e-commerce.

We specialize in promoting goods produced in Africa to Africans and the global market.

What inspired the vision?

The company is a product of an ardent desire for an Africa that will be the convergent point of global trade and not a continent that is at the mercy of foreign aid. We think that there is urgent need to consciously expose African produced goods so as to change the world’s perception of Africa being a predominantly consumer market.

How does cokodeal operate?

Cokodeal.com is a platform that connects traders. The websites is designed to allow individuals, businesses and corporate bodies to create and personally manage online stores. They can easily upload images, texts, and videos of their goods and services which they can also edit at will, the same way you

Dola edit your facebook profile. Interested buyers can find and contact these businesses.

Considering the continent’s relatively low level of literacy and ICT knowledge, do you see prospect in this idea?

Yes! If China, despite being a non-English speaking country and with even a relatively lower literacy level as at then could rise through this same challenge with the help of e-commerce platform like Alibaba.com to become world’s largest exporter of local products, I believe, Africa can even do better. However, the website

has been painstakingly designed for easy use.

From the speech you delivered at the launch of the company in Lagos, you said your desire was to make Africa the convergent point of global trade, how do you intend to achieve it?

With cokodeal presence in Kenya, South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Tanzania, Rwanda & Zambia, we will intensify our efforts to put in place structures that will enable us reach deep markets within these prime regions. We have also put a special mechanism in place that will support traders to load their

On the 23rd of January 2015, DAILY POST published one of your speeches in which you confirmed that cokodeal.com will go a long way to promote intra-Africa trade.

What exactly do you mean by this and how achievable is it.

Africa market is an uncoordinated market; the market is not interconnected enough. There are products and services Africans source from the west not because same are not available in the African market but because they are not given the necessary publicity that could bring them to the awareness of Africans.

So, we will improve the exposure of goods and services offered from different regions and establish trade shows both online and offline to bring traders within Africa together. Cokodeal.com integrates a multiplatform that allows each country website to be different; as such, people can choose country to shop from.

There are numerous e-commerce sites presently, how do you intend to compete with the already established players in the online retail market?

Cokodeal.com is uniquely different from other e-commerce companies in Africa. We offer much more than just online retailing. We do not intend to compete directly with players in the retail market.

From our vision we have created a different niche as cokodeal.com is solely for the promotion of trade in African made goods “local content development”: that is only goods produced within Africa. You know what? Africans are hungry for growth in all spheres of life, soon as they discover that the company is dedicated to their growth, it will fly at the speed of light. We are a leading edge in this unique direction so we have no one to contend with, we can only be talking of those who will be inspired to follow us.

What are your biggest challenges?

Our greatest challenge has been educating business owners to switch from their old traditional way of trade which has very limited reach and embrace the modern e-business method with boundless reach. However, with time they will appreciate the level of exposure we will give their business.

Secondly, reaching for medium – large local business locked in remote areas has not been easy. We also have issues with their inability to efficiently use the website due to low IT knowledge; we are currently working on how to educate massively and fix that anyway.

What is the short- long term vision for cokodeal.com?

To establish and consolidate our presence in major African countries in few years and in the long run grow across Africa. We will connect the entire continent to the complex web of global trade.

AGATU MASSACRE: Boko Haram, not Fulani herdsmen responsible -– Comrade Audu George

C

an we meet you please?

My name is Comrade Audu George Ochefije. I’m from Agatu Local Government. I’m currently the President of Agatu Youth Forum.

What is your take on the constant attack on your people, especially the recent one in Egba?

It’s horrible. It’s unbelievably horrible that people could invade a community to carry out such dastardly act. I was not in the village when the attackers came, but we went there and we were told the attacker’s came very early on the day of the attack. They used their normal route, through River Benue. They normally come in from Nassarawa into Ega. The Ega people had problem with Owukpa people so when they came, we thought it was the aggrieved Owukpa that came for revenge, but behold, it was the Fulani herdsmen that came. The problem now is that it’s as if the government is sleeping over the issue. It is even clear that some of the militias are not Nigerians.

The few of them who were killed after the attack are clearly not Nigerians, so one cannot even say the attackers are Nigerians. The question is where did they come from, and why can’t they be arrested by security men?

What is the security situation at the moment? Have policemen or the military being mobilized to the affected areas?

The security situation is zero. As I speak to you, there are no security men on ground in a community that nearly hundreds were killed.

If the police and the military were on ground, they would have given security reports on the issue, they are nowhere in Agatu. We are left to decide our own fate. The truth is that security men came one time and left and I do not know the reason they had to leave. If they abandon us, and this thing continues, it then means that the government is not concerned.

I want to make this clear that this is not a crisis between Agatu and the Fulanis, it is a crisis between unknown gunmen and the Agatu people. If you say it is a crisis between the Agatu people and the Fulanis, then two ethnic groups are in conflict. To talk about it, the Fulani people are not even residing there, they are a faceless people. The reason for this

Following the growing violent activities of Fulani herdsmen in Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State, the President of Agatu Youth Forum, Comrade Audu George Ochefije has expressed his dissatisfaction over the handling of the violence, accusing both the state and the federal government of deliberately neglecting the Agatu people in their most turbulent times. In an interview with DAILY POST Editor, Adoyi Ali, Audu speaks extensively on the nature of the Agatu crisis and its unwholesome effect on the Benue economy.

George action is not far from what we are hearing from the northeast of Borno. It may even be Boko Haram that are attacking and hacking people, because the attacks are usually of the same level with what we hear from Borno state. It looks to me like these are the same people trying to take root in Benue State and the government is not doing anything about it.

Security men only come under the instruction that two communities are in crises and need to be stopped from fighting. It is really not a crisis between the Fulanis and the Agatu people; it is a problem of another community trying to settle down in Agatu and if the government does not take this issue seriously, it is going to become a major problem like it’s right now in the far north. These people may have

left Sambisa for Agatu-who knows?

So what would you say about prominent Idoma sons and daughters who are supposed to represent Idoma’S interest in the state and at the federal level?

If the Idomas in government are seeing what is happening and are not doing anything about it, then they are weak and do not know what they are doing. They are not leading their people well, hence there is no representation. In fact, it means they are not there to represent us. I do not want to believe that the Idoma people are represented. We have a House of reps member representing the Apa/ Agatu constituency in the National Assembly.

Since this issue started, he has not stepped his leg on the soil. He would only come when the whole thing has subsided, promising that it will never happen again and it keeps happening.

What is the situation right now in the affected area?

The entire area has been disserted and this has affected farming as our people are predominately farmers. Hunger has taken over the entire local government as many young men have left Agatu for fear of being hacked by the attackers. Relatively, women and children have not been at home because of the level of hunger they have been subjected to and the government and its agencies have not done anything about it, including NEMA. From Ogule down to Oweto, most of the houses there have been destroyed.

You will not see government presence and nothing has been done about it. We are beginning to think that we do not have somebody that is representing us. In the areas affected, there is high level of desperation and hunger as these people are farmers who depend on their farm produce. No single camp has been

erected to cater for the displaced.

How has Gabriel Suswam responded so far?

I remembered he set up a committee, but we have not heard anything from them yet.

We don’t know what the committee was asked to do and what has come out of their findings regarding the situation. As I am talking to you now, we do not know when these attackers will invade, and whenever they are coming, they do in large number. The River Benue that these people cross before attacking us is very large, and they even cross from Nasarawa State. The government knows these things.

If this continues, what do you think will eventually happen?

We have had so much confidence on the government because they have been promising us right from the onset that all will be well, but now, we have lost that confidence.

Secondly, I believe that the plan these people have is to delete the whole community and one thing that people do not know is that when they finish from our community and settle there, they will extend to other places like what is happening in Borno and other parts of the country.

Government’s negligence and the slowness in taking action will make it to lose grab of Agatu area that would be controlled by the insurgents. Government may no longer function again in Agatu. As I am talking to you, I do not know how elections will hold in Agatu.

People may not come out to vote and this may be one of the effects as they will be disenfranchised from participating in the elections. For instance, there are many polling booths in Egba where the recent attack took place. It’s either the government gives up on Agatu or reclaims it. The time is now.

Friday, March 20, 2015

11

dailypost.ng

feature

Untold story of how Fulani herdsmen terrorize Benue communities (1) Sylvester ugwuanyi

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purred by last Sunday’s early morning attack on Egba community in Agatu LGA of Benue State by marauding Fulani herdsmen about which the State Police Commissioner, Hyacinth Dagala, reportedly placed the death toll at 82, DAILY POST headed for the community in an expedition that yielded revealing but disturbing details.

Locals report that hundreds of Fulani nomads invaded the community at about 4:30am on that fateful day, fully clad in military fatigue. They shot sporadically into the air, causing the villagers to run for dear lives. But as they tried to escape, the assailants gunned them down while killing others with machetes and daggers.

An embittered resident of Egba, who gave his name as Attah Okopi, vehemently disagreed with the figure given in official quarters as casualty rate. In his view, those who died from the attack cannot be less than 150. He noted that, “if they are talking about the number of males that died, maybe I can agree with them. But if the number of deceased women and children are to be included, then we would not have anything less than 150.”

Musa Abu, who is a vigilante member from Ogule a neighbouring community to Egbe, said he was sure the deadly invasion wasted 200 lives.

Disclosing that women and children form a greater number of the figure, he lamented, “the Fulani marauders who killed pregnant women did not spare the unborn babies in their womb. They opened up the womb of pregnant women they had killed, brought out the foetus, butchered it into pieces and abandoned the parts of the slain foetus on their dead mothers.”

Musa, who spoke in the Idoma dialect, explained how the Fulani herdsmen carry out their attacks on unsuspecting villagers: “They normally come at the dead of the night. After which they will retreat to their hideout. Prior or during the attacks, no police or army officers came to the rescue of the communities. The people are left to decide their fate. Those who could escape have left for other communities that are comparatively safe.” He called on the government to immediately do something about the attacks, stressing that “this war must stop. If it continues, we will be forced to retaliate.”

How it all started A community leader in Ogule, Pa Andrew Idakwo, told DAILY POST that the very first attack carried out by the Fulani nomads against an Agatu community happened on May 5, 2013.

Then, they raided eight villages including Okokolo, Abogbe, Adana and Akpeko. Houses were burned with nine villagers killed and many others injured.

A week later, the marauders

A ravaged building in Agatu community

attacked a completely new session of the local government, sacking 12 settlements and killing 68 persons. He further noted that “ever since, there have been over 20 attacks by the nomads in Agatu LGA. They keep coming in and out. The latest was the attack of Sunday night.

The number of casualties may actually exceed hundred, only that about 82 bodies were reportedly counted. But there are still people missing, with some others in hospitals dying daily from wounds sustained in the attack.”

According to the 70-year old community leader, “the Fulanis entered Agatu in the year 1964 and this first set of Fulani settlers had no problem with Agatu people. But about 10 years ago, a new set of Fulanis entered who were of more violent disposition. If their cattle ate your crops and you complain, they will attack you.

There were incidences of women being attacked in the farm, either beaten, flogged or raped.

Men were stabbed. I remember in some communities, if they steal your guinea corn and you go alone, they will kill you, butcher you up and run away.

This happened in a number of villages like Usha.”

Concurring with Pa Idakwo, An elderly resident of Usha who gave his name as Ahmadu Egaji disclosed, “As part of the reprisal, our people refused to sell food to them. If they come to the market to buy food, our people wouldn’t sell foodstuff to them. I think that was what sent them away as they had no food to eat anymore. Our people concluded that if it is our crops that we sell to you that you send your cattle to come and eat, then we will not sell our crops to you. And when there was no food for them, they left Agatu between February and March, 2013.”

The weakening of modalities for resolving disputes Before the Fulani herdsmen started leaving Agatu communities in droves in the first

“They packed all their be-

longings and families deserting Agatu LGA. Our people discovered that all of them suddenly packed away from our areas. We wanted to find out why they were packing away but they didn’t give any explanation” quarter of 2013, it was learnt that the various communities had in place a committee that was peopled by representatives of the Agatus and Fulanis. This flowed from the local government level where successive administrations have maintained similar committee. This committee which had the indigenes and Fulanis as members always waded into any crisis between members of both groups inhabiting in Agatu local government with a view to resolving same. Where compensation is required, it would be enforced by the committee.

A local government official who disclosed this but would not want her name in print said, “This has existed all along until it got to a point when the Fulanis stopped cooperating.

It was as if they resolved that it is either this people move away for us or we remove them by force. We must drive them away or they allow us to move our cattle with impunity; I think this is the mentality of the herdsmen.

Each community where Fulanis resided had similar ar-

rangement through which conflicts were settled. But it got to a point when the Fulanis were not working with such committees any longer. They would prefer that the matters be reported to the police.

“And if the matter was reported to the police, they invariably had more money than the local farmer to prosecute the case in court. And the farmer will eventually lose out of the case because it would drag for many months and years in court and the herdsman has more money to service the case and the court processes which the farmer wouldn’t be able to afford. This has made our people to lose confidence in the police and in the courts. Because of this, the herdsmen were behaving with impunity and disrespect and becoming more violent and destructive, operating with no control whatsoever. This was what led the Agatu people to decide not to sell food to them,” she explained.

The aggressors leave to return Following the refusal of the Agatu agrarian farmers to sell their produce to the Fulani herdsmen whenever they came to the local market to shop for food items coupled with their fear of the locals teaming up against them in reprisals, the Fulanis retreated into Loko in Nasarawa LGA of Nasarawa State. “They packed all their belongings and families deserting Agatu LGA. Our people discovered that all of them suddenly packed away from our areas. We wanted to find out why they were packing away but they didn’t give any explanation. Barely two months later, they launched their very first attacked of 5th May, raiding so many villages. Agatu has known no peace afterwards” Musa revealed.

Government indicted for not doing enough The popular feeling among the Agatu people is that government has left them at the mer-

cy of the herdsmen. As they insist that no concrete action has been taken to bring reprieve to the suffering people of Agatu. A resident told DAILY POST that “The Benue State government will send army and police officers, but these people will come after every attack. They are never there and even if they are there and an attack is launched, they will do nothing.

The first thing they do is to run away. They are reported as saying they have not been sent to come and fight the Agatu fight, that we should fight to defend ourselves.”

Pa Andrew, the community leader throws more light on this, “Let me say this, for three years, these herdsmen have taken off from a single town in Nasarawa State called Loko.

Loko has a chief. It is in a local government where there is a chairman. That is where the herdsmen are always taking off to attack the Agatu people. If the government is serious, why is it allowing them to assemble there and cross over, using canoe to attack people and return back? And the government looks at them and still does not do anything.

“If it is not failure of government, I believe that a responsible government in Nasarawa State would have sent people to Loko to contain these people. Whenever they are massing to attack, the Loko people will know. It is a failure of government on the two sides. It is not just about setting up committee. You know where they are taking off, why don’t you stop them? How can the security head in the state not know that this is happening, but will only come to speak after people have been killed? These have been going on for three years.

The chief in Loko knows what is happening. The chairman in Nasarawa LGA of Nasarawa State knows what is happening. The chief of Agatu speaking indigenes of Loko knows what is happening. But none of them have acted decisively to help contain the situation,” he added.

What the crisis has cost Agatu communities As regards the impact of the incessant attacks, the community leader lamented that, “most economic activities in Agatu LGA can no longer be carried out. We are mainly farmers, but as it stands now, nobody can go to prepare the farms for the farming season that is fast afoot, because they do not know when the Fulanis will come and attack them in the farms.

A few of our people do fish by the river banks and ponds that abound in the area but they cannot go to work. No primary school is opened in Agatu now.

So educationally, Agatu is suffering. All secondary schools have also been closed for close to three years now. They no longer function well in Agatu area because of the fear of Fulani attack.

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metro

Alleged tomb raiders nabbed by police in Oyo

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five man gang, suspected to be tomb raiders who usually excavate human parts in the Muslim’s cemetery at Apete area of Oyo State, has been apprehended by the police.

According to the Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Katsina, the gang, which include a woman, was apprehended for allegedly digging up a corpse at the cemetery with the intent of removing some body parts.

Katsina said: “Following a petition from a member of the public, a discreet investigation into the criminal activity taking place at a Muslim cemetery in Apete was inaugurated.

“The carefully coordinated investigation led to the discovery of about six graves that had been excavated by unknown persons.

Fortunately, a clue left behind by the suspected criminals helped us to arrest five persons in connection with the crime and they have confessed their involvement.

“The suspects are Abati Kolade, Taiwo Akinmola, Ramon Korede, Mojeed Adediran and Mrs. Saki Adediran.”

A member of the gang, Adediran, disclosed that for each part her accomplices supplied, she paid at least N4, 000.

Adediran said: “I normally bought a human skull for N4, 000.

The amount paid on other parts varied.”

Man nabbed with Indian Hemp stuffed in sausage roll at Lagos airport

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33-year-old Onisha based trader, identified as Friday Ogbonna, has been apprehended by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, with 35.115 kilogramme of Indian Hemp stuffed inside sausage rolls popularly called gala.

Ogbonna, who was on his way to China, was arrested at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, by the anti-narcotics agency on Wednesday during a routine screening of passengers.

According to the Chairman of NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade, the agency arrested the offender base on a tip off.

Giade said: “It is pertinent to alert members of the public of fresh plot by drug barons to smuggle cannabis to countries with capital punishment for drug trafficking because of the high profit involved.”

While reacting to his arrest, Ogbonna disclosed that he was given N100, 000 by his friend in China to bring the said bag over to him.

Friday, March 20, 2015

dailypost.ng

with

Seun Opejobi seun.opejobi@dailypost.ng

Orji fires ASOPADEC Director for allegedly raping girl to death A

bia State Governor, Theodore Orji has directed the immediate removal from the Board of the Abia State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (ASOPADEC), the Director of Administration representing the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources in the board, Mr. Christian Onuoha for allegedly raping to death an 11 year old girl.

Briefing newsmen at the Government House, Umuahia, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Dr. ACB Agbazuere said given the heinous nature of the crime which is rape of a minor and murder, Mr. Onuoha has also been

Orji

placed on interdiction pending the determination of his case by the police and the court.

According to the Commissioner, the state Civil Service Commission has also been di-

rected to take necessary action as the case moves on.

He made it clear that the said Onuoha is only a civil servant representing the Ministry of Petroleum in the board of ASOPADEC and not a commissioner in the state government as is alleged in some quarters.

The Information boss, who stated that Section 358 of the Criminal Code of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is explicit on the issue of rape, also revealed that the punishment for rape is life imprisonment, adding that since the victim is dead, the issue of murder comes in and the penalty for such offence is death by hanging.

Prisons accountant arraigned for awarding Frozen turkey Contracts to her companies

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he Head, capital accounts unit, Nigerian Prison Service, Imaobong Akon Esu-Nte, was on Tuesday brought before Justice Adegbola Adeniyi of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Apo, Abuja by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for awarding contracts to companies she has interest in.

While testifying before the Court, Sini Omar John, a Superintendent of Police with the EFCC, said it was discovered in the course of investigation that the suspect was a civil servant

on Grade Level 14 in the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation before she was moved to the Nigeria Prisons Service where she was made to be in charge of contract payments, among other duties.

John also noted that the suspect between 2008 and 2011 incorporated five companiesAbasiaga Global Resources, Abasiono Nigeria Limited, Ememima Global Ventures Limited, ID Integrated Petroleum Products Limited and Darima Properties.

He further disclosed that Esu-Nte, in November 2011, awarded a contract worth

N14m to Abasiaga Global Resources Limited.

“She also awarded ID Integrated a contract worth N55 million and many more. After the investigation, the accused was invited and was showed the facts of the case. She then explained her own side of the story. She admitted to all the facts thereafter and wrote a statement with the word of caution written on it,’’ he noted.

Evidences of the contracts awarded by the Nigerian Prisons were tendered before the court by the prosecuting counsel.

Oyo State Police Command recovers jeep belonging to Delta govt from robber

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he Oyo State Police Command has recovered a Toyota Land cruiser Jeep belonging to the Delta State Government from an suspected armed robber in Saki, Oke-Ogun area of the state.

The suspect, identified as John Pouoro, was arrested alongside other members of his gang while trying to cross the border to Benin Republic.

The black jeep with number plate, DT 25 B-31, was said to have been recovered by the Oyo State Police Command on March 11.

Upon arrest, Puoro told the police that he was only on a mission to deliver the vehicle to one Alhaji Sokoto, adding that he was promised N150, 000 on delivery of the vehicle.

According to the Oyo State Police Command, Alhaji Sokoto is known to be the head of

a trans-border car snatching syndicate from Benin Republic.

Mohammed Katsina, the state Commissioner of Police, disclosed that the suspect offered bribe to police officers at the point where he was arrested, adding that other members of the gang in the vehicle escaped.

Katsina further disclosed that the bandits snatched the car at gunpoint and injured the driver who was rushed to a hospital.

“A team of policemen on foot patrol, led by Inspector Samuel Godwin, intercepted a black Landcruiser along Saki/Ilesa Baruba Road on March 11 this year.

“The cross-border robber, accompanied by other members of the gang, now at large, attempted to transport the vehicle to Benin Republic where a notorious receiver, identified as Alhaji, was waiting to col-

lect it.

“Opuoro tried to bribe the police when he was arrested.

Investigation revealed that the vehicle was snatched at gunpoint in Delta State. Efforts have been put in place to apprehend the rest of the gang.

If they had succeeded, they would have sold the car back to Nigeria as a fairly-used car,” he said.

According to Opuoro, “I was in Lagos when Alhaji Sokoto, who I met in January this year, called me from Cotonou. He said a car was on its way from Delta and that I should bring it to Cotonou. But he later told me to collect the car in Ore. I took it from one Emeka in Ore. “On my way, I was tired and while sleeping somewhere, the police came and arrested me.

I’ve once helped Alhaji to drive a car to Cotonou.”

buried by customs in Kwara

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he Illorin Command of the Nigerian Customs Service Wednesday buried several cartons of frozen turkeys worth millions of naira. The frozen chickens were reportedly smuggled into the country.

DAILY POST gathered that the smuggled frozen turkeys were buried under the supervision of officials of the Directorate of State Services, the Nigerian Police Force, the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control and the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency.

According to Mr George Onumah, the Public Relations Officer, Kwara Out-Station, the contraband goods were discovered in a Golf vehicle.

Onumah said the car containing the contraband products was also conveying two people. It was however intercepted along the Alapa –Ibeti-Shaki Road, a border town between Kwara and Oyo State by some customs officers from the Federal Operations Unit, Kaduna Zonal Office. .

He further disclosed that the drivers claimed that they had paid the customs duty for the turkeys, but could not provide the document when the officers demanded for them.

“The driver and the occupants of the car claimed they have paid customs duties and that they have the documents in their house in Ilorin. They pleaded that they should be allowed to go and get it.

“Officers-in-arms were positioned to guard the vehicle pending when the defendants will come back. But when they stayed the whole day, our officers now had to open the vehicle to pinch the contents of the cartons found therein. They discovered that they were cartons of frozen turkeys.

Friday, March 20, 2015

interview 13

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Government should prosecute those involved in hate speeches – Njemanze

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hat has been happening around you lately?

I’m into humanitarian, and considering that there are lots of humanitarian crises going on at the moment, particularly those of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), we think it is proper they get due attention. So that has taken most of my time and of cause, we are getting ready to go to the polls. Many people have lost faith in the country and there is voters’ aparthy. At the grassroots level, we encourage people to do the proper thing of voting, and be guided by experiences of the past, instead of being bought off by ‘stomach infrastructure’. We encourage them to go to the polls, we enlighten them to learn to use the power of the polls, because if people learn to use the power of the polls, then they can put out the wrong people and bring in the right ones; so civic voters’ education is one thing that has taken most of my time. All is in the interest of Nigeria.

Are you embarking on these humanitarian campaigns under any political party or association?

I do not belong to any political party. I am the co-founder of the Dorothy Njemanze foundation and we do sensitization on what constitutes abuse and how to handle such. So many times, people do not understand that disenfranchising themselves put them in a position where they become victims tomorrow, so we try to tell them the proper thing to do. And in the event you put someone into office and the person does not deliver on his or her promises. The elections our votes then become the right procedure to throw them out.

This is what we want people to understand. Apart from sensitizing people on abuse, the foundation tries to reorient the people at the grassroots using the medium of entertainment. We break down Every information detail into formats that can be understood by the most illiterate person, probably as audio visual, jingles, shot drama, movies and a host of others. Our campaigns are always inclusive, being that it takes into cognizance persons like the deaf, so we are sending the message to everybody who is human.

You are known to be an advocate of the feminine gender, what is your take on the missing Chibok girls?

We very much support the government in its effort to bring back the girls now and alive; it is non-negotiable. Although, when the girls were initially taken, the government never believed. But now, it believes that the girls were actually taken, so it is okay to say, ‘’never late than never’’. The government has our full support to do what is right and to ensure that those girls are reunited with their parents. We are hopeful that the government will do something.

It is not an antagonistic thing or a campaign against the government, but it is a mandatory call that the government does what is right BY returning the girls back and alive.

The government claims that the BringBackOurGirls campaign is being sponsored by the opposition, what do you think?

I will give you basic facts you can refer to any day. There was a group that emerged sometimes ago called Release Our Girls. That group has members that were constantly conveyed by Federal Government SURE P buses, meaning that somebody has to mobilize them and move them to a location and ensure that they are well protected. But check the BringBackOurGirls gathering; you will never see buses mobilizing people. What you will see are individual vehicles. You will also see taxis bringing people to the gathering. The organizers go as far as bringing

Dorothy Njemanze is a popular face in the Nollywood industry. The screen diva has been very visible in the advocacy for the emancipation of the Nigerian woman and youth in an era where the question of gender equality has become a major subject. As a public Speaker and an analyst, Dorothy believes that change in Nigeria is only possible when youths and women realize their ability and hold leaders accountable for their transgression. She is of the view that the future of the country lies in the hands of its capable and dogged youths. In this interview with DAILY POST Editor, Adoyi Ali, Njamenze speaks passionately about the plight of the Nigerian woman and those of the abducted Chibok girls who have been held captive for over 330 days. She also speaks on her various movie roles, the 2015 elections and other sundry issues. Excerpts: the parents of these girls to validate the position of the parents. It is completely inhumane to say the group is acting on any script by the opposition.

I think the problem we are facing today resulted from the lukewarm attitude on the part of our government. From the beginning, we had ten basic points. We call it Citizens Engagement Solutions that we proffered and gave the government. The government did not act on them. If they had worked on them, I believe by now the war on insurgency would have been better handled. But presenting us as though we are antagonizing the government at all time just to score cheap political point does not do us any good. Do you know that one year has passed since the slaughter of the fifty-nine Buni Yardi boys, and do you also know that till today, the Federal government never made any effort to reach out to the families of those boys slaughtered? Only the Yobe State government reached out to them.

It should be noted that the school in question is a Federal government school. The principal was transferred, yet some students are still waiting to be transferred out of the school. Only some children whose parents are enlightened were able to push their ways out of the school. So the truth is that BringBackOurGirls is not being sponsored by any political party as it is the right of the people to demand that the right things be done and it is also the right of the people to clamour for change when things are going wrong.

What is the right of an average Abuja lady at the moment?

As enshrined in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and also considering some treaties Nigeria is signatory to, women are supposed to have similar rights as the man, but then in Abuja, it is much different and it is not peculiar to Abuja alone. However, we should stop giving excuses. We should stop saying that because it happened there, it should also hap-

Njemanze

pen here. What is wrong is wrong.

It is a terrible situation because of the silence of the Government towards the plight of certain people, especially young women.

All these are being addressed as are currently in Court to get legal interpretation on certain things.

The essence of signing treaties is basically for the state to protect the rights of people. In addition to this, there are some specifics that talk about the right of women, but the State has the right to protect those rights and where the State does not do so, it is our duty to call it to order and how best do you do so?

It’s by simply speaking out. I keep telling victims that if you keep quiet, you are only aiding an abusive trend. Break the silence, speak up.

At the moment, the government is justifying itself that some ladies are excessively abusing their own body on the streets of Abuja. How would you react to this?

There is a limit to what I can say since I’m in court. Is the law against a woman being on the road at a certain time but allows the man to do so? If the law does not place any restriction on movement, then I wonder what we are talking about. If you talk about excesses, what are the legal dress codes? I don’t think there is any at the moment. The Ministry of Women Affairs has on certain occasions said it is out to protect the right of the women, but it is left for reality to proof itself. In Abuja for instance, there are some people who ran away from crisis areas. Many of them do not have means of identifying themselves and many are pregnant; now, what is the government doing about their existence?

How do we know if things are going wrong when people do not speak up? We must always stand up to defend our rights.

Tell us a little about those court cases There are different court cases on different issues, especially on the right of women. To be victimized because we are women simply calls for serious concern. From the angle of the founda-

“A lot of

people are impressed with my role in the Ultimate Price, an epic movie directed by the late Ndubisi Oko and I’m glad I worked with him. People also think I interpreted my role in Iraq and Iran very well” tion, we are trying to liaise with other civil society group on the nature of certain cases like rape, where the case stays in court for a long period of time, is not good for us. The foundation is not slowing down; in fact, we keep gathering momentum by the day, especially now that more people are beginning to speak up.

Any personal experience regarding abuse?

Since I am in court, I cannot comment on my personal experience regarding abuse. We are in ECOWAS Court of justice and come March 11, we will be in court again.

Tell us about your acting career.

I was about four years when I started featuring in acting back then in school. Over time, I have grown to have passion for communicating in an artistic manner. I am always moved by art. It is best for me to communicate by taking you through other peoples’ experiences. By re-enacting rape for instance, you will understand and appreciate the situation more. The flair for acting is just innate and the self-fulfillment I get from acting, I just cannot describe.

Well, I have been in the Nigerian movie industry since 2003 and things are getting better by the day.

It has not been easy, but it has been worth it. The problem with the industry is that many people are just after stardom and attention and not about becoming good actors.

However, the future of Nollywood is bright, and I am proud to be part of it.

Going back memory lane, which is your best performance ever?

The role I played in War Game was significant because the whole story was built around that role, I could easily relate to the scene where the character I played was raped. A lot of people are impressed with my role in the Ultimate Price, an epic movie directed by the late Ndubisi Oko and I’m

glad I worked with him. People also think I interpreted my role in Iraq and Iran very well.

Come March 28, Nigeria will decide who becomes the next President, where do you belong; APC or PDP? I know where my allegiance lies and the guiding principle for me is; are you ready to live your life like this for the next four years or do you want things to change? I will vote according to my conscience. I won’t sell it.

People are of the impression that there may be violence at the end of the elections; do you foresee same?

I think the thing about violence is a propaganda instrument being projected by some people. I am amazed that certain individuals get away with hate speeches in the public, calling for the death of their political opponents in adverts. People are even asking others who do not believe in their ideology. The government is supposed to prosecute those involved in hate speeches, but has turned deaf ears in that direction.

I think the Human right Commission is doing fairly well. In fact, I’m aware of certain intervention by the commission to wade into the Rivers State situation. It amazes me most to see that the mother of Peace in the nation has no peace in her village which should be the role model of peace in the country. Again, the discriminatory utterances against children like the Almajeries should be condemned.

The government in power should take decisive steps against those who come up with utterances capable of inciting people against each other.

Talking about Boko Haram, will the missing Chibock girls ever come back alive?

The President last week assured us that he knows were the girls are and they will come back alive. For six years, they did not do anything, but suddenly in six weeks, he seems to be doing a lot. Wouldn’t it have been better if so much had been done in the past?

Any words of advice for the youth?

I am very disappointed with the Nigerian Youth that started the campaign for thirty percent inclusion in government but have suddenly gone to sleep. Today, nobody is asking questions. How many of us are in government today? How well has our interest being represented. I expected that by now, it be made mandatory that thirty percent of all political appointments be made to come from the youth.

We should stop giving reasons to justify incompetence on whatever platform; we should stick to values that will build our nation.

Your most embarrassing moment Well, it is difficult to say because a lot has happened to me; though my ideology about life is that, ‘’if life throws you a lemon, you make a lemonade out of it’’. Most of the time, I feel embarrassed when I go to events and I get less attention because I am a woman. When I am about leaving a public place, security men search my bag but do not search the man by my side. I feel embarrassed and ask, “Is it because I’m a woman?’’

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Friday, March 20, 2015

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entertainment

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Ameh Comrade Godwin comrade.ameh@dailypost.ng

50 Shades of Grey:

Boobs job scandal:

Omotola kicks against ban on softporn movie

Cynthia Morgan tears bloggers apart

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ollywood sexiest and screen goddess, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde has frowned at the decision of the National Films and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) to ban the soft-porn American movie, 50 Shades of Grey from airing in Nigerian cinemas.

The actress says NFVCB’s decision to ban the controversial movie was ‘a little bit harsh’.

Omotola, who spoke on HipTV’s Trending, said the movie was made for a target audience, and obviously matured enough to consume the content, arguing that the board should have ensured that cinemas do not let minors watch it instead of just banning it out rightly.

‘I don’t agree that the level of nudity and erotic scenes in the movie ought to be. But then, you know, romance and love is a part of life, but the explicit nature of the movie is what I don’t get; must it be that raw? I agree if that’s why the Censors Board banned it because we don’t want that in our society.

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frica’s newest female sensation, Imelda J, has unveiled the music video for her new single, entitled “Jisoro”.

With the video, one may not be wrong to conclude that Imelda J has raised the bar for Nigeria female artistes with its clear and colorful visuals, energetic / sexy dancehall music style. The video was self-produced and directed by award winning music director, Mariadora.

The Benue sexiest diva, as her fans fondly call her, makes a tumultuous come back with this new Music Video and song.

“I didn’t just want to release my music the way everyone does it,” Imelda J said. “I feel people are bored with that. I feel like I am able to speak directly to my fans first through my video, and give them a feel of my music. There’s so much that gets between the music, the artist and the fans. This is straight from me to my fans.”

skin job?

“Ya’all jobless unlike the nose job and boob job I spiritually got myself; I was barely 17 on this far left pic and my bra couldn’t even fit properly so I guess your father gave me the money for the boob job.

“I had to leave the dust on the pic so u guys won’t say I photoshopped the boob. Bloggers be warned about the dead lies you carry about…you don’t even know me! Yes you don’t!

She is queen as you can obviously see.”

INI EDO FINALLY DUMPS ‘BABY LOVER’

T AGN crisis: President Jonathan wades in

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Imelda J dazzles with Jisoro

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pcoming singer and German Juice crooner, Cynthia Morgan has reacted to hearsays that she had boobs job.

The Northside Entertainment artiste posted a picture of herself at age 17 to buttress her point. She reacted via her Instagram page.

Her post read raw and uncut: “That Awkward moment when this blogger niggas say some real bullshits. I myself bow to some bloggers when I read news about myself getting a nose and a boob job…even a

t is no longer news that a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has upturned the election of Ibinabo Fiberesima as president of the Actors Guild of Nigeria.

However, what might be news is that the ex-beauty queen is currently working round the clock to reclaim her mandate.

The development, DAILY POST Entertainment gathered, has caught the attention of President Goodluck Jonathan, who has promised to resolve the ongoing war between Ibinabo and Maradona Mikevine, who had, in a suit, claimed that the election that ushered Ibinabo in as the guild’s president is void due to a subsisting court order at the time.

An impeccable insider hinted DAILY POST Entertainment that the President is expected to meet with both parties shortly after the elections in Abuja for dialogue.

Ibinabo has been leading some Nollywood stars to campaign for President Jonathan’s re-election.

Earlier, while reacting to the development, Ibinabo said she had accepted the court’s verdict but would fight on.

‘Yes, we lost, but I intend to appeal and we’re working on that presently,” she said.

DAILY POST Entertainment recalls that the election was conducted against an order of a court in 2013 by former president, Segun Arinze and the Guild’s board led

by Ifeanyi Dikeh. Ibinabo emerged winner of that election and has since been in office, having bagged a second tenure in office following elections last year until Justice James Tsoho declared the election that brought her to office.

he ‘Romeo and Juliet’ romance between Nollywood actress, Iniobong Edobong and her colleague, Godson Mike has finally hit the rocks, DAILY POST has learnt.

In fact, the ‘baby lover’ has moved out of Miss Edo’s house since the relationship collapsed.

Their break up became evident recently at the Showbiz Interactive with President Jonathan which held on Sunday at Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, as the ex-lovers came and went separately unlike before.

“It was obvious from their body language that all was not well again between them. They did their best to avoid each other and sat at a measured distance from one another,” a close pal squealed.

“Mike told me that he dumped Ini and has moved on with his life. Who wants to be treated as a sex toy?” the source further hinted.

Insiders said that trouble erupted when Godson became uncomfortable that his divorcee lover was not ready to publicly identify with him as her lover.

Though Godson had earlier claimed that the controversial pictures, which surfaced online recently were taken on a movie set, insiders said the duo has been living under the same roof for over three months before things fell apart.

The affair between Mike Godson and Ini Edo came months after the actress announced that she was divorcing her husband of 6 years, Phillip Ehiagwina.

Roll call of female celebrities married to younger lovers Dare Art Alade and Deola Ayeni Although, he has been able to keep his family out of his career, it is widely known that Dare Art-Alade is currently married to Deola Ayeni, an interior designer who is eight years his senior.

They have been legally married for more than six years and so far have two children together, living happily despite their age difference.

The multi-talented actor once revealed that he would rather not discuss his wife in public.

Peter Okoye and Lola Omotayo Unknown to many of his teeming fans, Peter of Psquare fame, who last year walked down the aisle with his long-time lover, Lola Omotayo, is six years younger than her.

Peter shocked many of his fans when he finally proposed marriage to Omotayo, his longtime friend and the mother of his two kids (Cameron and Aliona), with a diamond ring and a brand new white Range Rover Vogue worth N15 million.

The proposal put to rest the widespread criticisms that had trailed their relationship over the years.

Lola, who said ‘yes’ to the proposal, was close to tears when the musician slipped the diamond engagement ring onto her finger and handed her the car keys.

On why he decided to marry Omotayo despite the age difference, Peter said in a recent interview, “it is something I had always wanted to do and I knew I would definitely do this to Lola one day, but I needed to wait for the right time. Honestly, she deserves even more from me.”

Soul E and Ure Queen Okezie Before their relationship hit the rocks, banker-turned singer Queen Ure was 11 years older than her ex-husband musician Soul E. Soul E and Ure met at Pastor Chris Okotie’s Household of God Church. The duo left the church as a result of the pastor’s refusal to bless their union.

The lovebirds later moved on to establish their own ministry, Love Villa, inside their apartment in Omole Estate (Phase 1), Lagos, where they eventually married but the relationship soon faded away, just like their cougar love.

Friday, March 20, 2015

sport 15

dailypost.ng

matches you must Liverpool vs Man U not miss this E

weekend The El Clasico

ngland’s version of the El Clasico - Liverpool vs Manchester United - will also be played on Sunday. Liverpool have hit form since United humiliated them 3-0 last December and sit in 5th place, two points behind Louis van Gaal’s men. Brendan Rodgers’ team will not only be looking for revenge, but they will try to topple United in the race for Champions League places.

Newcastle vs Arsenal

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n Sunday night, Barcelona will host Real Madrid in the latest installment of the El Clasico. Both teams come into the tie with differing forms. Lionel Messi has been spectacular for the Catalans, while Carlo Ancelotti’s men are struggling bad, with Cristiano Ronaldo off colour. It promises to be a tasty affair. And no doubt, this game might probably determine who wins the La Liga this season. Barca are currently on top, one point ahead of Madrid.

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rsenal will be seeking to put behind their Champions League exit at Monaco this week, to focus on qualifying for next season’s competition by winning at Newcastle. The Gunners even have a chance to finish second this campaign, as Manchester City’s indifferent form continues.

Arsene Wenger is very aware of this and knows the season can end very well, especially if they also win the FA Cup.

Messi has an ego – Thierry Henry

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Golovkin visits Pacquiao ahead of Mayweather fight

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orld middleweight champions Gennady Golovkin, has visited Manny Pacquiao at his training camp, as he prepares for the May 2 showdown with Floyd Mayweather.

The 32-year-old Golovkin, who is widely regarded as one of the best pound-for-pound boxers in the world along with Pacquiao, was spotted at the Wild Card Gym in California.

Golovkin himself is preparing for an upcoming bout against Willie Monroe Jnr in Inglewood, California, with his WBA and WBC interim middleweight belts on the line.

Pacquiao has continued to step up his preparations for his big fight with Mayweather, after he had his first day of sparring in Hollywood this week, after weeks of conditioning work.

“After 13 days of strength and conditioning and boxing drills at Wild Card plus weeks more of working out in the Philippines in February, it was great to finally put on the headgear and spar,” Pacquiao told ESPN. “My sparring partners gave me good work today. They were perfect for testing the strategy Freddie and I have developed to beat Floyd Mayweather. I was very happy with my stamina and speed today.”

ormer Arsenal and New York Red Bulls striker, Thierry Henry, has said that ex Barcelona teammate, Lionel Messi has an ego, but insisted that it is only natural he does.

Messi put in a stunning performance, as the La Liga side beat Manchester City 1-0 at the Nou Camp on Wednesday, to qualify for the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League.

The Argentine is always spoken about as humble when compared to Cristiano Ronaldo, but Henry stated that having an ego is not a “bad thing”. “’I’m sad for him, and upset because people doubt him sometimes,”Henry, who is now a Sky Sports pundit said. “They doubt him. How can you doubt a guy like that?

“He put himself on a level

where it’s impossible for me to hear people doubting this man.

What he has done we should all enjoy the guy, like we did tonight. It is a pleasure.

“He has an ego. Of course he has an ego. Do you think you do that without having an ego? It’s not a bad thing.

Having an ego is not a bad thing.

Knowing that you are good. You need that.

“Let’s all be honest. You need that. He just plays. If you ask him to play with you now just outside the dressing room, he will just want to have fun, perform and be the best out there.”

Odesnik retires after receiving 15-year suspension for failing drug test

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ennis player Wayne Odesnik, has been banned for 15 years for failing a second doping test in five years.

The ban ends the ATP Tour career of the American, who is ranked 267th in the world.

Odesnik tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs last December, after the International Tennis Federation sent samples of his urine to several labs. The results shows they tested positive for anabolic steroids.

“Those samples were sent to WADA-accredited laboratories in Salt Lake City, USA and Montreal, Canada for analysis, and were found to contain one or more of: metabolites of methenolone; metabolites of androst,” the ITF said in a joint news release with the United States Anti-Doping Agency.

Odesnik was previously banned for two years in 2010,

for being in possesion of human growth hormone. The suspension was later reduced to one year, after he co-operated with the ITF’s anti-doping programme.

The South African-born Odesnik, has now announced his retirement from the game, claiming he did not know that a supplement he bought over the counter, could contain a banned substance.

“Upon learning of my positive test results I was immediately heartbroken as words could not describe my shock and disappointment,” he explained.

“Being the most tested American tennis player on tour, I would never knowingly have taken any chance of consuming a banned substance.”

The 29-year-old will now forfeit any prize money he won from the Australian Open and two lower level

Man City vs West Brom

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n the past few weeks, it has all gone pear shape for Manchester City. If the past week was supposed to be a season-defining week, then they have failed miserably. The Premier League champions lost at Burnley last weekend and were outclassed by Barcelona in the Champions League this week.

West Brom visit this weekend and they have every chance to salvage what is left of a faltering season.

Kane set for England debut

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ottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane, has been included in England’s national team for the first time.

The 21-yearold striker is enjoying an excellent season, where he has scored 26 goals in all competitions for the North London side.

Kane will make his debut against Lithuania or Italy.

“The whole country is excited to see Harry Kane, his rise has been fantastic,” England boss Hodgson said.

“It would be a surprise if he hadn’t been selected.

“His rise this season has been meteoric. We know a lot about him from the under-21s and what he can do on the pitch is clear to see.”

“He’s been doing it week in week out for Tottenham and deserves his chance.”

Kane is also the highest-scoring Englishman in the Premier League this season, with 16 goals in 25 matches.

Hodgson did not invite Saido Berahino or Danny Ings, who will feature for Gareth Southgate’s U-21 squad against Czech Republic in Prague next Friday.

Amadu quits as NFF General Secretary

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he Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has confirmed that Musa Amadu, has stepped down as its General Secretary.

According to the official NFF website, the executive committee has accepted his resignation, which he sent in a letter dated March 18.

Amadu was appointed into the role in July 2010.

He will now be replaced by Mohammed Sanusi, 51, who before now was the NFF Director of Competitions.

daily post sports

with

‘Ifreke Inyang

ifreke.inyang@dailypost.ng

“Joe Hart had an absolutely fantastic game. I already knew he was a top keeper, but it was impressive in this performance how he just stopped everything that came his way.” - Lionel Messi

dailypost.ng

Friday, March 20, 2015

Flying Eagles to play Brazil or Mexico

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epending on how the Nigeria U-20 team finishes at the African Youth Championship, they will face the likes of Brazil or Mexico at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in New Zealand.

The draw for the tournament was made in February and Africa’s flag bearers have been placed in different groups, depending on how they finish at the AYC 2015.

If the Flying Eagles emerge as African champions on Sunday, they will be in Group E of the FIFA U-20 World Cup, along with Brazil, Hungary and North Korea.

If they finish as runners-up, they will tackle Mexico, Uruguay and Serbia in Group D. The winner of the third-place match will play in Group B with Argentina, Panama and Australia.

The loser will be up against Qatar, Portugal and Colombia in Group C.

NFF secure Uganda friendly to replace Bolivia

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igeria will now play against Uganda at the Akwa Ibom International Stadium in Uyo on Wednesday, March 25.

The Nigerian Football Federation (NFF), have concluded talks with the East African nation, to replace Bolivia that pulled out over security concerns.

“I am happy to tell you that the March 26th, 2015 Fifa date will be utilized after all. We have concluded plans with and also sealed all necessary terms as regards the match with the national team of Uganda for a friendly against the Super Eagles come Wednesday, March 25, 2015,” an NFF source told Goal.

“The leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation is not happy with the way Bolivia bungled the already sealed plans for a friendly match against the Super Eagles. We are also considering legal implications as regards this bungled friendly since the NFF did not breach the contract.

“We are looking at how we can get fair judgment on the matter from Fifa since we have spent a lot of money as regards preparations and logistics regarding execution of the match.

“But we are happier that the Eagles will file out against Uganda in Uyo on that Fifa free day. But all arrangements concerning the Eagles’ friendly against the Bafana Bafana of South Africa stays and preparations are in full gear for that.”

According to the source, the match was moved back by one day, to allow fans travel ahead of the presidential elections next weekend.

United, come fourth!

by I’freke Inyang

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anter is the juice of football. Matches have become must-watch, not because our favourite clubs are playing. We are cheering on West Ham United, Everton and even Crystal Palace, because a rival team is up against them. And we are eager for them to drop points, so we can tease, trumpet and tweet about it.

Before last weekend, Manchester United’s itinery read: Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool, Aston Villa, Manchester City and Chelsea. Arsenal and Chelsea fans flooded social media with infographics and mocked the imminent demise of Louis van Gaal’s team.

On Sunday night, it was United fans who were laughing, after Wayne Rooney delivered a timely knock-out blow. Spurs were soundly beaten 3-0, after a classy and commanding first half. That’s one team down. Next is a trip to rivals Liverpool.

It might not be a straight forward affair.

Brendan Rodgers’ men have

been on fire. His side won a fifth successive league match, with a battling 1-0 win over Swansea at the Liberty Stadium on Monday.

Liverpool now sit in fifth position, just two points behind United, heading into this weekend’s clash at Anfield. After they were humiliated 3-0 at Old Trafford on December 14, the Reds found themselves 10th on the log. The change in fortune since that loss, has been quite remarkable.

They have not lost in 13 Premier League games, taking 32 points from the last 36 available.

What these stats will fail to tell you however, is that Swansea almost broke the run. Liverpool were lucky to win the game and in fact, the winning goal came off a wicked deflection.

A lot of fans and pundits are already suggesting that they might win on Sunday, especially since they are playing at home, in front of a vocal throng of supporters. Rodgers cannot wait for the Super Sunday encounter.

“We’ve put ourselves in a great position,” he said. “There is still a lot of work to go so we’ll re-

cover now and get ready for the weekend.

“The target is to finish as high as we can. Everyone talks about fourth but it’s the same every year for me. We do the best we can do.”

I believe United can go there and shock their hosts. Last Sunday against Spurs, they played their best football.

Van Gaal appeared to have found his best starting 11, with the suspension of record buy Angel Di Maria.

Juan Mata came into the middle, probing and passing neatly along with Ander Herrera. Up front, Rooney and Marouane Fellaini formed an partnership that was strangely lethal.

A lot will depend on if Van Gaal decides to tweak that team to accomodate the returning Di Maria. So it is crucially important he gets it right this time. A win for United, will see them establish a five-point gap between themselves and Liverpool. And that might essentially decide the top four.

Wenger calls for “outdated” away goals rule to be scrapped

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rsenal manager Arsene Wenger, has insisted that English football is not lagging behind the rest of Europe, after all the Premier League clubs involved in the Champions League were eliminated.

The Gunners won 2-0 at Monaco, but went out 3-3 on aggregate after they lost 3-1 at the Emirates.

Manchester City were beaten 1-0 by Barcelona at the Nou Camp, after the Catalans won the first leg 2-1 at the Etihad. Chelsea also lost out 3-3 on aggregate to PSG last week.

“It’s the first time in 19 years [actually the second time in three years]. I don’t think that you can draw a general conclusion,” Wenger said.

Wenger also called for the away goals rule to be changed, as it has become outdated. The Frenchman called for the system to apply after

extra time, if at all it must be used.

“Two teams have gone out on away goals, which I think should be questioned because it’s a rule that is outdated now and that has to be changed.

“I’ve fought for that for a long time. In a direct knockout, it’s important that you’re very efficient and a bit lucky as well.

None of the teams, apart from Barcelona, look to be superior in Europe today.

Two other teams, Chelsea and Arsenal, could have gone through.

“It should count maybe after extra-time because this rule has been created in the 60s to encourage the teams to attack away from home.

Since that football has changed. The weight of the away goal is too big today.

“I still think maybe you can count [away goals] after extra-time like in the league cup in England.”

Manchester United close to sealing Depay deal

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ouis van Gaal is close to completing a move for his compatriot Memphis Depay.

The PSV winger has become one of Europe’s hottest prospects, since his fine displays for Holland at the 2014 World Cup. Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur are also keen on landing the 21-year-old, but United are confident the player will move to Old Trafford.

According to reports, Van Gaal convinced the €31million-rated winger to stay in Holland for a year and leave at the end of the current season. The pair have a strong relationship, after Van Gaal handed Depay his international debut and took him to the World Cup, where he scored twice.

Depay has netted 22 times for PSV in 33 matches in all competitions this season, with his club sitting at the top of the Eredivisie, 11 points ahead of Ajax in second place.

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